How do I remove facial hair in post-menopausal women?

Chelsea BaldwinUpdated April 17, 2017

Many post-menopausal women experience an increased amount of facial hair growth. Most of the new facial hair grows due to lessened oestrogen levels in a woman's system or increased levels of androgen or testosterone--male hormones that encourage the growth of facial hair. Finding a way to deal with your excess facial hair depends on the severity of the growth, your family genes and the exact cause of it. Before performing any kind of drastic measure like hormone treatment to get rid of the hair, consult your doctor.

Remove the hairs with tweezers or wax. If you only have a few extra hairs spouting out here and there, tweezers will do the trick. If you've got an area of hair growth that isn't too serious, try facial wax. Both treatments are simple, effective and cheap, and will get rid of your hair for weeks at a time.

Bleach your facial hairs. If the hairs are fine and short but you have a darker natural hair colour, bleaching the hairs will lighten the hairs so they won't be noticed by others. In fact, all faces, whether on men, women or children, are covered with tiny, transparent hairs. Bleaching your excess facial hairs will make them blend in with the rest of the fine, unnoticeable transparent hairs on your face.

Eat a balanced diet. After menopause, it is completely normal for your hormone levels to shift. However, eating a lot of carbohydrates causes an increase in insulin production. Higher levels of insulin require more androgen or testosterone. You can eat some carbs, but balance them out with colourful fruits and vegetables. It may take some time for you to see results after changing your diet, but you will notice the decrease of male hormones in your system through gradual changes in your facial hair.

Take a hormone supplement. If none of the above suggestions work, or your facial hair is too dark and too thick, talk to your doctor about a hormone treatment program to balance out the increased male hormones in your system. Taking oestrogen will give your body the female hormones it needs to begin acting more feminine again, especially when it comes to hair growth.

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About the Author

Chelsea Baldwin began writing professionally for local newspapers in 2008. She has published articles in “High Country Press” and “Kernersville News.” She also produced newsletters for a local chapter of AIESEC, a global nonprofit organization. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Appalachian State University.